associate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc..
Many people associate dark clouds with depression and gloom.
- Antonyms:
- distinguish
-
to join as a companion, partner, or ally.
to associate oneself with a cause.
-
to unite; combine.
coal associated with shale.
verb (used without object)
-
to enter into union; unite.
-
to keep company, as a friend, companion, or ally.
He was accused of associating with known criminals.
-
to join together as partners or colleagues.
noun
-
a person who shares actively in anything as a business, enterprise, or undertaking; partner; colleague; fellow worker.
He consulted with his associates before proceeding further.
- Antonyms:
- adversary
-
a companion or comrade.
my most intimate associates.
- Antonyms:
- adversary
-
a confederate; an accomplice or ally.
criminal associates.
- Antonyms:
- adversary
-
anything usually accompanying or associated with another; an accompaniment or concomitant.
-
a person who is admitted to a subordinate degree of membership in an association or institution.
an associate of the Royal Academy.
adjective
-
connected, joined, or related, especially as a companion or colleague; having equal or nearly equal responsibility.
an associate partner.
-
having subordinate status; without full rights and privileges.
an associate member.
verb
-
(tr) to link or connect in the mind or imagination
to associate Christmas with fun
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(intr) to keep company; mix socially
to associate with writers
-
(intr) to form or join an association, group, etc
-
(tr; usually passive) to consider in conjunction; connect
rainfall is associated with humidity
-
(tr) to bring (a person, esp oneself) into friendship, partnership, etc
-
(tr; often passive) to express agreement or allow oneself to be connected (with)
Bertrand Russell was associated with the peace movement
noun
-
a person joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; partner; colleague
-
a companion or friend
-
something that usually accompanies another thing; concomitant
hope is an associate to happiness
-
a person having a subordinate position in or admitted to only partial membership of an institution, association, etc
adjective
-
joined with another or others in an enterprise, business, etc; having equal or nearly equal status
an associate director
-
having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status
an associate member
-
accompanying; concomitant
Usage
What does associate mean? An associate is a person who shares in business as a partner, stakeholder, or colleague. To associate is to connect or relate multiple things together. The noun form of associate, pronounced uh-soh-shee-it, often refers to a business partner but can also be used more generally to describe a friend or even an acquaintance. Associate is also used to describe more sinister partnerships, such as an accomplice in a crime or a member of a gang or crime organization. The verb form, pronounced uh-soh-shee-eyt, can be used to mean to connect or unite people. When you associate yourself with someone else, you may be working with them, you may be friends or romantic partners, or you may even be a customer. People who are associated will often be discussed in a pair or group. Associate can also mean to connect or relate, as with objects and feelings or memories. For example, you may associate naan with your grandmother who used to make this bread whenever you visited. Or you may associate a favorite book with the memory of a teacher who introduced you to the book. Example: I always associate gingerbread with the holidays, but it’s good all year round.
Synonym Usage
See acquaintance.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
associateshipnoun
-
associatornoun
-
superassociatenoun
-
reassociateverb
-
associableadjective
-
associatoryadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
associatesimple
-
associatessimple
-
have associatedperfect
-
has associatedperfect
-
am associatingprogressive
-
are associatingprogressive
-
is associatingprogressive
-
have been associatingperfect progressive
-
has been associatingperfect progressive
Past
-
associatedsimple
-
had associatedperfect
-
was associatingprogressive
-
were associatingprogressive
-
had been associatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of associate
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin associātus “joined to, united with” (past participle of associāre ), equivalent to as- as- + soci- ( see social) + -ātus -ate 1; compare Anglo-French associer (verb), associé (noun)
Explanation
As a verb, associate can mean to make a connection between things or concepts. You might associate the smell of lemons with summer memories of selling lemonade. Or, with polishing your furniture with Lemon Pledge. As a noun, in employment, an associate is someone who is in a junior position. You might hear about associates at law firms, hoping to make partner one day. However, some companies also use associate to mean any employee, regardless of rank or seniority. The noun associate can also mean a friend or someone you keep company with. And, as a verb, associate can also mean to keep company with — like when you were associating with activists at the protest march.
Vocabulary lists containing associate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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50 Words from Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Prof Simon Garrington, associate director of the Jodrell Bank Observatory, told BBC News that everyone at Jodrell Bank was "devastated" by the decision.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Irving’s software is at a basic level trained to be about as smart as a high-performing senior-level associate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
"For many years, aging research has focused on identifying factors that increase the risk of disease," added co-first author Ignazio S. Piras, PhD, associate professor in TGen's Early Detection and Prevention Division.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Either way, reluctance to associate either Salinger or his most indelible creation with crazed murderers meant keeping their own wounds at arms’ length.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
"It's just not a look I associate with you. I was expecting something more Xena, Warrior Princess than...Disney princess."
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida told associates in the summer of 2024 that she knew Trump would choose Vance to be his vice president, according to a person familiar with the conversation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
But it is more accurate to say Willing and his associates purchased it, then resold it to the United States, while keeping a few million in fees for themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Kumi allegedly distributed the money to his associates in the US and in Ghana.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
The source told AFP that "close associates" who have known the cardinal for years reported similar behaviour when he was a missionary in South America.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
He seemed to like me and said I should come to Westchester the next week to talk with his associates.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
In the short term, pH remained above the threshold associated with enamel damage.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
If the fire is powerful enough and the atmosphere is unstable, that cloud can grow into a towering cumulonimbus - the same type of cloud associated with thunderstorms.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The mobile carrier’s profit slid due to costs associated with the BT Group joint venture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
If we are “Five-Star”-fortunate, we can hire assistance to handle the inevitable difficulties associated with this time of life, whether that means groundskeepers or divorce lawyers.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
Below are some more concepts that are associated with melody.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
As a historian who had come across the Church of England's links to slavery as a student, for many years Mallett had long been conflicted about associating with the institution.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Ross’ popularity at the time of his death, along with his prolific output, translated into an afterlife associating him with kindness and encouragement.
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
How have you really held on to this DIY ethos while now associating yourself with a bigger label?
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026
Clinton's spokesperson has said the photos are decades old and Clinton had stopped associating with Epstein before his crimes came to light.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
If Chaol spent so much time warning him about the dangers of associating with Celaena, what was he doing here in the middle of the night?
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
